This application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/GB99/03020 filed Sep. 13, 1999 which International Application was published by the International Bureau in English on Mar. 23, 2000.
The present invention relates to a fan-assisted ashtray, i.e. an ashtray in which a fan is used to assist in the containment of smoke in the ashtray.
Some bystanders find tobacco smoke and the smell of tobacco objectionable. In certain locations there may be a desire to minimize them to comply with local ordinances or regulations relating to air quality. Ashtrays with closeable lids are a partial solution to this problem. Providing ashtrays with negative pressure, e.g. through the use of a fan and associated filter, are something of an improvement because they can confine smoke in an improved manner. However, these products tend to have inefficient filters, are bulky, noisy and unsightly and inelegant in is appearance.
The invention is defined in the attached independent claim, to which reference should now be made. Further preferred, advantageous features are to be found in the dependent claims.
In a preferred form a fan-assisted ashtray according to the invention comprises a substantially hollow body having a closable lid mounted thereon, a support member which extends across an upper end of the body, for supporting a smoker""s article in use, and defining an aperture therein, a tray member located below the aperture for containing ash from a smoker""s article, a filter member located below the tray member and extending across substantially an entire horizontal sectional area of the body, an electrically powered fan located below the filter member for drawing air and smoke from the smoker""s article through the aperture, around the tray and through the filter member, and for exhausting air to the exterior of the body through a vent, the ashtray body being generally ellipsoidal and having an elliptical lid which is mounted on a hinge member, the hinge member being slidably mounted on a track at an upper edge region of the body for both pivotal and sliding movement of the lid with respect to the body between open and closed positions.